ANTIOCH — An indoor trampoline park is looking to make the jump into East Contra Costa by locating at Somersville Towne Center.

Rockin’ Jump plans to lease about 23,690 square feet of the former Gottschalks building, which has been empty since the popular retailer went bankrupt in 2009.

The park will include trampoline basketball and dodgeball courts, a foam pit and an open arena.

“We think it’s going to be great for the city and great for the mall,” said Drew Wilson, who owns Rockin’ Jump along with Marc Collopy. “There’s a strong need out here for some fun things to do. From our perspective, there’s a lot that’s lacking. This can be a great place for families to hang and a great place to socialize.”

Trampolining is also a good way to combat child obesity and keep adults stay in shape as well, Wilson said.

Antioch’s planning commission approved plans for a use permit for Rockin’ Jump on Wednesday, allowing a complex real estate transaction to proceed.

Pleasanton-based ACRE Investment Co. LLC is working to purchase the vacant building, but before proceeding, it wanted to have a tenant in place, said Brian Nunnally, the city’s economic development analyst.

The property is expected to close escrow in mid-December, Wilson said. In the meantime, he hopes to have building plans approved by the city and open by spring.

ACRE is splitting the Gottschalks building into three: Rockin’ Jump in the middle, a 22,810-square-foot gym on the north side and a 38,000-square-foot business to the south.

Colby Mikulich, a retail associate with Transwestern, said it took an exhaustive effort over the past three years to find a new tenant for the building.

“To be perfectly honest, I would rather see it be a 90,000-square-foot retailer, but in lieu of that, I think this is a good alternative,” planning commissioner Gil Azevedo said Wednesday. “It seems like a family-oriented place that will make people want to go and be around Somersville Towne Center.”

Noting other closures of large retailers on Antioch’s west side, Mikulick added that Rockin’ Jump could lure more businesses into the area.

The Antioch location would be the third for Rockin’ Jump, after opening in Dublin in 2011 and San Carlos in 2010. Other Bay Area trampoline parks include Sky High Sports in Concord, Bounce U in Pleasanton and House of Air in San Francisco.

Wilson said his business will draw people to the mall, as parents with “an hour to kill” patronize shops such as Macy’s and Marshalls. It could also draw businesses to fill vacant mall storefronts, he said.

A party store in Dublin saw sales increase 15 percent since opening last year, Wilson said.

Rockin’ Jump will also create about 50 part-time and full-time jobs, Wilson said.

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